Detachable calk for boots and shoes



Sept. 6, 1938. c BARNES 2,128,891

DETACHABLE CALK FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed Dec. '7, 1957 l I N VEN TOR.

C 043, j/gomw,

v By A TTORNE Y.

' a the top of the heel, but may be abutted other- Patented Sept. 6, 1938 i UNITED STATES .A E T 018.3 '1. Barnes, PhiladelphiafPa. A pplication December 7,1937, Serial. No. 178,535

. 4 Claims. (01. 36-47 a 2 The calk is made of a thinplate material, and I My detachable calk belongs to the class of detachable calks that are secured to the foot gear by. clamping instrumentalities. The particular use for which my calks are applicable is for golfing. vIn playing this game, the player must walk long distances; must have a very firm hold :on the ground by the ball portion of the foot, as may be seen by examining pictures of players in various stances, in many of which itwill be noted that the heel of one or of both feet leave the ground. On the other hand, golf often is played by verymany men who do not wish to change their foot gear, due to limited time after leaving business in which to play, nor to wear ill-looking shoes atbusiness, or while at the clubhouseor on the street. Therefore, the calk must be capable of being snapped off and put on quickly and easily on street footgear. withikwhich the detachable calks are taken 01? and put on enable the player to enter the club house without the removal of his shoes. Time and trouble is also saved upon entering and. leaving the golf course. Due to the small space taken up by the detachable calks they easily may be carried in the pocket of golf bag and the automobile pocket; 1

To meet these requirements, I have devised a detachable calk, comprising a sole having spikes made of metal, that has adjustable side clamps engaging with the edges of the soleof the shoe, and a heel clamp that is adjustable lengthwise of the shoe, and is made'of flexible springing material, and which is shaped to bind the heel around the greater part of its periphery This heel clamp binds the heel on all sides, springing against the sides of the heel, through its elasticity, and also by having drawn against the sides of the heel through being contracted in width by being extended lengthwise by the act of attaching the calk. Preferably its end fits just above wise or the binding of the clamp against the sides and back of the heel may be suflicient without an abutment. As the clamp is made of a flexible material, it will. not make the shoe,

stiff.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the detachable calk (looking at the side of it that will contact with the ground) attached to the shoe. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the calk similarly viewed when the The ease clamp Ii. 7

what tongue shaped to bring it well within the is shaped to lie beneath the :ball of the foot and x the adjacent parts, andis wide enough to allow for a sidewise rolling of the foot when the stroke It is provided with the grippers 2, 2,;

is made. which in practice are nail orspike like projections, the upper endsof which are riveted to the plate i, and the lower ends of which are sharpened enough to enter the sod. At the sides of the plate if are the clamps .3 and 4 for fitting; the edges of the sole A, of the shoe. These clamps are set apart from each other an adjustable distance .to enable the calk to be adjusted to Wider or narrower shoes. The clamp 3 is and may be in practice, permanently attached to the;

plate I. It may be struck up from the material forming this plate. The other clamp 4 is adjustable crosswise of the plate I. It consists of a jaw 5 that engages the edge of the'sole and a part 6 furnished with a slot 1) through which a threaded stud 1 secured to the plate I passes. A nut 8 fastens the clamp 4 immovably to the piece I. The rear part 9 of the piece I carries the adjustable hinge I8 for the flexible spring heel In practice, this rear part 9 is somenarrow mid portion of the sole of the shoe. The hinge carrying element I5, is adjustable lengthwise of the foot and is secured to the tongue portion of the plate I, by the stud l6 that passes through the lengthwise running slot K, and the nut I! by which the hinge carrying element is secured preferably solidly to the plate I when the adjustment is concluded. The hinge I8 is substantially narrower than the heel.

The entire clamp may be folded over on the hinge l8; the foot plate and the heel clamp may be laid together when not in use; they will then occupy a minimum space and form a convenient package that is'carried readily. The spikes will be prevented, in a measure, from tearing the pocket or other receptacle in which the detachable calk is placed.

The spring flexible clamp H is hinged to the element l5 and is very particularly constructed. It has a loop 2!] that spreads sidewise when not in engagement with the heel and a narrowed extension 22 joined by connecting pieces 23, that lie in front of the heel, to the loop 2|. The back of the loop 2|] has a preferably square cornered loop 24, by which the loop 20 may be drawn over the heel by using a fiat adjuster. The extension 22, in practice, passes through the hinge knuckles l9, and forms the pin'of the hinge I8.

The loop springs slightly downward away from the, shoe. If the calk is fitted to the sole the loop springs free of the heel until the loop is forcibly drawn over the latter.

The hinge I8 is placed on the element l5 at a distance from the back of the heel greater than to the back of the loop 20. sufiilciently so to cause the loop to be stretched lengthwise of the foot when the clamp is in place. This draws the sides of the clamp very strongly against'the sides of the heel. To do this, the narrowing of the extension 22 and evening of the square cornered loop coact to narrow this loop 20 around the heel D. Thus the springing elastic clamp not only pulls the clamp 3 and 4 rearwardly and causes them to clamp the edges of the sole of the shoe very firmly, but also grips on three sides the heel with great firmness, securing the calk very firmly on the foot without interfering with the freedom of movement of the foot, or requiring any particular shoe construction.

The loop 24' serves to receive the end of the shoe horn 30, which, in placing the loop 20 in a place, is inserted beneath the loop 24 and, as it is lifted, pulls the loop 20 over the heel. The loop 24 slides along the horn 30 until it pullsinto place. When it is desired to remove the calk, the horn is inserted downward into the loop 24. Thus the loop 24 serves a treble purpose, helps to put on .andremove the shoe,. and secures a better grip on the side of they heel.

.I-am awarethat many detachable calks have been made and described in patents and publications in this and foreign countries, but I believe that the instrumentalities described above have a'degree of novelty that entitles them to a reagage with the side edges of the shoe, a hinge,

means for adjusting the position of said hinge lengthwise of said calk, and a loop of springing flexible material of a size sufiicient to embrace the heel of the shoe, and of a width when the calk is disengaged from the heel, exceeding the width of the heel, .and capable of elongation when the calk is clamped into position, thereby causing the sides of the loop to be drawn in and engage the sides of the heel. r

2. A'detachable calk for bootsand shoes, comprising a plate approximately of the shape of the sole of a shoe, and provided with adjustable clamping means adapted to engage with the edges of the soles of about or shoe, a hinge much narrower :than said plate and having its knuckles running crosswise of the plate and positioned cross-Wise of said plate a clamp hinged to said hinge and consisting of a loop of a flezn'ble springing material, said loopbeing, when disengaged'fromithe shoe, of a width sufiicient to embrace loosely the sides of the shoe and of a are drawn tightly against the heel.

3. The device defined in claim 2 wherein the loop extends'backwardfrom'the hinge and then widens out to formthe main portion of the loop.

4. The device as defined in claim 2 wherein the loopis provided with an additional square cornered loop. a

'CLAY T. BARNES. 

